________________
three to five hours daily may experience them. Nevertheless, if perspiration appears during the practice, one should not wipe it with a towel, but rub it back into the body with the hands. The body should not be exposed to chill or draughts during or after the practice.
Regularity: One of the most important disciplines for the practitioner of pranayama is regularity. This means developing a regular lifestyle as well as being consistent in the practice of pranayama itself. There will be no progress if one jumps from one practice to another every day. In the beginning one should ask the teacher to create a capsule of daily pranayamas, which one should improve to a high degree through regular practice.
Pranayama practices will progress over a period of time. Beginners need to practise the preliminaries in order to go on to the more advanced levels. Regularity in practice is essential for increasing the physiological capability as well as adjusting the body and mind to the increased pranic force. This is a slow and steady process, and the practitioner should never try to hurry.
Pranayama should be practised every day at the same time and in the same place. This builds up positive, spiritual vibrations in the place, and the regularity creates inner strength and willpower. The practitioner should follow the general guidelines for pranayama, but also allow intuition and common sense to prevail from time to time.
Advice for pranayama sadhana: The pranayama usually taught by yoga teachers is only preparatory. The main purpose of pranayama is to evolve the psychic and causal bodies. Therefore, pranayama sadhana as distinct from general practice may be defined as a concerted, regular and determined effort to achieve perfection in the practice. The goal is not merely good health and mental balance, but acquiring the highest state of consciousness. A dynamic effort must be made to arrive at this state. While general practitioners may modify a few rules as per convenience (for example, if a separate room is not available for the practice,
218
